Perfect Picture Book Friday…I almost missed it. And then I realized that tomorrow is Saturday…the third Saturday of the month… the Will Write for Cookies Saturday which this weekend will feature the incredible Diana Murray.
I was lucky enough to win some swag from Diana…one of the items was an advance copy of her newly launching picture book, City Shapes. I fell in love with it!!! So I chose it for today’s review. PLUS, if you leave a comment telling us your FAVORITE city, you’ll be entered in the random drawing for a brand new copy of this brand new book!
City Shapes
Written by Diana Murray
Illustrated by Bryan Collier
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (2016)
Ages: 3 and up
Themes: City life, shapes, curiosity
Synopsis:
From Amazon:
From shimmering skyscrapers to fluttering kites to twinkling stars high in the sky, everyday scenes become extraordinary as a young girl walks through her neighborhood noticing exciting new shapes at every turn. Far more than a simple concept book, City Shapes is an explosion of life. Diana Murray’s richly crafted yet playful verse encourages readers to discover shapes in the most surprising places, and Bryan Collier’s dynamic collages add even more layers to each scene in this ode to city living.
Why I like this book:
- Wonderful rhyming text encourages young children to join in with the reading.
- I’m a New York City girl, born and bred…so this book is close to my heart.
- The illustrations are magnificent…can I say that again? MAGNIFICENT!
- Great read-aloud.
- Parents and teachers can use this story as a springboard for a discussion on shapes or city life.
Related Activies:
Take a walk with your child whether you live in the city or in the country. Observe. Discuss. Then go back home and draw pictures of what you saw. You can help your child make his or her own book by stapling the pages together. Ask your child to describe what was seen and write that on each page.
Have a wonderful weekend! Please don’t forget to come back tomorrow for our wonderful interview with Diana Murray. And leave a comment telling us which city is your favorite one…you might be the lucky winner of a copy of Diana’s brand new book!
VIVIAN KIRKFIELD - Writer for Children 
Hmmm…I guess I’d have to say my favorite city is Chattanooga, TN. My husband has family there, and we love visiting!
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Chattanooga…I’m sure hubby and I passed through on one of our cross country trips many years ago…but I haven’t been there in ages. Glad you stopped by for PPPF, Kristi.
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My favourite city is Amsterdam, The Netherlands. I’ve visited five times, including for my honeymoon and twentieth wedding anniversary. A lot of the interesting shapes there are reflected in its canals!
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I’ve heard that Amsterdam is a beautiful city, Barbara…I’ve never been there…how fortunate you’ve had several visits. 🙂
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Such a difficult question! I’ll have to choose Seattle for it’s amazing parks, funky neighborhoods, natural beauty, and, of course, its coffee.
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I agree, Gabi…it’s a hard question…there are many wonderful cities…each with different strengths. 😉
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Love, love, love my hometown: Louisville, Kentucky.
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Thanks for stopping by, Sherry…Louisville is a fabulous city!
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Today my favorite city is Vancouver BC. But that’s because I just visited there last month. My favorite city is generally where I’ve just been or am.
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Pamela…that’s a great way to think about where you are or have just been…very positive and joyful to be happiest where you are. 😉
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Being a New Yorker, and missing my city, I must put NEW YORK CITY ❤ But if I had to pick a second one since I am a history/movie buff, I really LOVE Hollywood, California.
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I was a New Yorker…and can’t say that I miss the city…I do miss the people…but not the traffic! And Hollywood is a totally amazing place, Lynne. 🙂
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What a wonderful idea for a book! I love your comment that the book is “an explosion of life.” That got my attention! My favorite city is Sarasota, FL. My second is Scottsdale, AZ.
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Both great cities, Pat…and I’m so glad you enjoyed the review…Diana has a bunch of winners coming up. 😉
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New York City, just walking the streets is an adventure! There’s so much to do that doesn’t require monetary investment and there’s interesting sites, performances, and activities for everyone’s taste. When my daughter was 10 we gave her the choice: Disney or NYC? She chose NYC and still finds It to be one of the best adventures we’ve had as a family!
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Your family trip to NYC sounds like it was a memorable and enjoyable one…so glad you gave your daughter the choice!
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I’m excited about this book! 🙂
I have lots of favorite cities, but right now, I’d have to choose Conway, Arkansas–because that’s where my sweet granddaughter lives. 🙂
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It’s the people who make life special, right Katy? So it makes sense that the city where your granddaughter lives is your favorite city. Do you get to visit often?
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Congratulations, Diana! I can’t wait to read this book! And as far as favorite cities go, so hard to choose, but maybe Dublin, Ireland, or Boston, MA.
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Boston is definitely one of my favorite cities…and I’d LOVE to visit Dublin. I really appreciate you stopping by to check out Diana’s City Shapes review.
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What a beautiful looking book! My favourite city is Singapore! From it’s skyscrapers to Colonial black and white houses. It’s innovative architechture and stunning sky trees! It’s bustling streets, it’s afternoon rainstorms and its mixing pot of cultures! I ❤️ Singapore!
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Yup…Singapore is a very beautiful city, Julie! Would love to get a chance to go back…but I’d also love to come to Europe and travel around, stopping at cities where my writing friends live so I could get to meet some of them…like you!
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Favorite city? Just one? London is guess, with NYC a close second. Easier to visit NYC at present, so I’ll look for shapes when I’m there.
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Cities are great places to look for shapes, Patricia…and NYC and London are definitely two of the best. 😉
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Congratulations, Diana! I’m looking forward to reading your lovely book. Vivian, we just moved our daughter to NYC to start a new job. What a fascinating and stimulating city. Can’t wait to go back and visit her this summer and explore even more!
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Having lived in NYC for the first 2 years of my life, I do appreciate the amazing swath of cultures…if you love food, it’s a place where you can get just about anything. Enjoy your visit and hope your daughter’s job is all that she hopes it will be, Judy. 😉
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I love Toronto!
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Toronto is lovely…so glad you popped over for Perfect Picture Book Friday. 😉
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My favorite city is New Orleans! Love the food!!
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Another Vivian!!!!!!! Welcome!!!! And yes, New Orleans has FABULOUS food!
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My favorite city is Anchorage, Alaska (where I live). It’s a city without being TOO big. It has most everything one could need and you can still escape to the wild within a few minutes of driving. =)
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I adore Anchorage!
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Jena…I hope to get to Anchorage one day!
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